UEFA Members Back World Cup 2022 Being Moved to Winter

UEFA’s 54 member nations have given their backing to the 2022 FIFA World Cup being moved from the summer to winter, and they have admitted that the tournament cannot be played in the summer due to health reasons.

Fifa vice-president Jim Boyce said:

“What has come out of this meeting is that the World Cup cannot be played in Qatar in the summer.

Despite the opposition, it appears likely that the tournament date will be moved from June/July 2022 to November/December. The ripple effects caused by the decision, which is expected to be made official by FIFA next month, will be massive.

About Christopher Harris

Founder and publisher of World Soccer Talk, Christopher Harris is the managing editor of the site. He has been interviewed by The New York Times, The Guardian and several other publications. Plus he has made appearances on NPR, BBC World, CBC, BBC Five Live, talkSPORT and beIN SPORT.
Harris, who has lived in Florida since 1984, has supported Swansea City since 1979. He's also an expert on soccer in South Florida, and got engaged during half-time of a MLS game.
Harris launched EPL Talk in 2005, which was rebranded as World Soccer Talk in 2013.
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23 Responses to UEFA Members Back World Cup 2022 Being Moved to Winter

Who’s to stop them? There really is no governing body overlooking governing bodies. All that is left are the companies that have contracts regarding the World Cup which was supposed to be in the Summer. In America, there is NBA, NHL, NFL, College Basketball, etc… going on in November and December. So Fox may be able to cause problems, but that’ll probably just lead to a refund.

I do like how UEFA is just now figuring out that Qatar won’t work in the Summer.

The bribery money FIFA accepted from Qatar has now been laundered so FIFA don’t really give a toss what everyone thinks. It won’t be until countries or governing entities boycott the World Cup will change then come.

This really is reminding me of socialism in a way. FIFA and UEFA are acting as the governments telling the Premier League and other league clubs what to do with the players that get paid by the clubs not the national teams. “Hey you pay them but we gonna totally screw you over by changing the World Cup to run in the same month as your season thus costing you revenue”

I dont think FIFA or UEFA realize that the clubs can break away from them and start their very own organized body. I see that happening if the World Cup gets changed. The great European Super League will come to tuition as the big clubs who got tired of FIFA and UEFA just go their own way and the FIFA World Cup will never ever again get the best players in the world because the rich clubs wont allow them to play.

So you prefer EPL and other European leagues telling rest of the world what is the best timing for World Cup based on their selfish interests? Do not forget that winter in Europe is actually summer in other parts of the world.

Where is all the money in soccer? Europe right? The whole purpose of sports and entertainment is to make money. When you have the money you control the sport. Want to have a World Cup so be it but you sure as heck won’t be receiving any of the players that play in Europe and since players go where the money is that means the World Cup will be crap without it.
The people and organizations that do not pay the players have ZERO right to have any say on when the World Cup should be played. Also the majority of the World is in the Northern Hemisphere and the Northern Hemisphere is where all the money and richest countries are located.

Also if the big european clubs do break off and create their own governing body they will also make a World Cup of their own but THEY will be the ones who profit off it. Right now the clubs are the ones who risk their players but recieve nothing while FIFA literally does nothing and makes all the profit.

Thats televison audiences they are fighting for. Players don’t go to North America or Asia for money (yet) because those places can’t pay the cash that European clubs can. If and when North American and Eastern Asian countries like China, Japan and Korea offer that money that European clubs can offer than they will have a larger say in the sport but since they are in the Northern hemisphere they want the World Cup to be held in the summer too.

The whole point is that FIFA has no right to move the World Cup to a different month without the permission of the clubs that pay the players and are risking THEIR investments by letting them play for absolutely zero compensation back. The clubs don’t want it in winter because it cuts into their seasons and revenues. FIFA needs to realize they have no say in the matter because they don’t own the rights to or pay players, the European clubs do.

So essentially Asian, Russian and North American money masters are laundering their money in European football and cater to global audience. Sounds to me like UEFA and European clubs have very little leverage if any at all.

Thats why I see only 2 options happening. The World Cup stays in the summer OR the World Cup moves to winter which starts a domino effect of clubs not releasing their players for it and even completely leaving FIFA and UEFA. A European Super League will be made and a new World Cup competition will be made by the new organization. Since this new Super League wont be under the laws of FIFA new rules and regulations can be made and can be made faster because the new Super League will be run like the NFL which is run like an efficient company compared to how FIFA is run which is like a congested government that things never get down and when they do its so late (goal technology). With the new Super League and new Soccer organization, FIFA and UEFA will be useless and powerless.

What? UEFA and European clubs have 2 separate opposing stances on a Winter World Cup. The rich Russians, Arabs and Americans are the ones who OWN the clubs. The European clubs have the most power in soccer. Like I said before if they wanted they could create their own Super League together and never ever ever release their players for FIFA or UEFA events because they don’t have to.

It appears to me that Russian and Arabian owners have already made a deal. American owners are pissed at the moment but eventually they will work out an agreeable solution. That will cover majority of European clubs that matter. Other European clubs will go where the money masters will direct them to go.

The clubs have no problem with a Russian World Cup because it will be held in the Summer, its the Qatar World Cup. The owners of the clubs dont give a crap about the World Cup, they care about THEIR club and it making money. Since FIFA doesnt give them money and a winter World Cup cuts into their own club season they will be against it. You are making this into a national pride thing. Rich people dont care about nationality, they care about their own interests and money. There is absolutely ZERO positive financial reason for clubs to release players to FIFA for a World Cup.

This is an issue that has been bubbeling for a long time. Moving the World Cup to winter is just the final straw that will kick start the whole movement of the richest clubs leaving UEFA and FIFA to form their own Super League and organizing body. FIFA and UEFA only have power because they have access to these clubs best players. Without it, both organizations are worthless and powerless.